296-307-240 Sanitation for fixed, indoor
workplaces.
296-307-24001 Must an employer comply with state health regulations?
296-307-24003 What does this section cover?
296-307-24006 What definitions apply to this section?
296-307-24009 What housekeeping requirements apply to fixed, indoor
workplaces?
296-307-24012 How must the potable water supply be maintained?
296-307-24015 How must the nonpotable water supply be maintained?
296-307-24018 What toilet facilities must an employer provide?
296-307-24021 What washing facilities must an employer provide?
296-307-24024 What requirements apply to lavatories?
296-307-24027 When must an employer provide change rooms?
296-307-24030 What requirements apply to consumption of food and beverages
in the workplace?
296-307-24033 How must waste be stored and removed?
296-307-24036 When must an employer have a vermin control program?
WAC 296-307-24001
Must an employer comply with state health regulations?
You must comply with the rules and regulations of the state board of
health governing sanitation in the workplace. We enforce these regulations
according to RCW 43.20.050.
WAC
296-307-240 covers sanitation for employees who normally work
in fixed, indoor places of agricultural employment.
A “fixed, indoor workplace” is one where the employees perform
a majority of their duties at that site.
This does not cover field employees who only occasionally enter
a shop or other farm building as part of their normal duties.
Field employees are covered by the field sanitation requirements
of WAC
296-307-095.
This section does not cover measures for the control of toxic materials.
“Lavatory” means a basin used exclusively for washing hands, arms,
face, and head.
“Personal service room” means a room used for activities not directly
connected with the business function of the employer. Such activities
include but are not limited to, first aid, medical services, dressing,
showering, toilet use, washing, and eating.
“Potable water” means water that meets state or local quality
standards for drinking water, or water that meets the quality standards
of the Environmental Protection Agency's “National Interim Primary Drinking
Water Regulations,” published in 40 CFR, Part 141, and 40 CFR 147.2400.
“Toilet facility” means a fixture maintained within a toilet room
for the purpose of defecation or urination, or both.
“Toilet room” means a room maintained within or on the premises
of any place of employment, containing toilet facilities for employee
use.
“Toxic material” means a material that exceeds a regulatory
limit (such as in chapter
296-62 WAC), or toxicity that causes or is likely to cause
death or serious physical harm.
“Urinal” means a toilet facility maintained within a toilet room
for the sole purpose of urination.
“Water closet” means a toilet facility maintained within a toilet
room for the purpose of both defecation and urination and which is flushed
with water.
“Wet process” means any process or operation in a workroom that
normally results in walking or standing surfaces becoming wet.
WAC 296-307-24009
What housekeeping requirements apply to fixed, indoor workplaces?
(1) You must ensure that all places of employment are kept clean to the
extent that the work allows.
(2) You must ensure that the floor of every workroom is kept as dry as
possible. Where wet processes are used, you must maintain drainage. You
must provide false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places
where practical, or provide appropriate waterproof footgear.
(3) To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and passageway
must be kept free from protruding nails, splinters, loose boards and unnecessary
holes and openings.
(4) Cleaning and sweeping must be done to minimize dust in the air and
when practical, done outside of working hours.
(1) You must provide potable water in all places of employment, for drinking,
washing of the person, cooking, washing food, washing cooking or eating
utensils, washing food preparation or processing premises, and for personal
service rooms.
(2) Potable drinking water dispensers must be maintained in sanitary
condition, be closeable, and have a tap.
(3) Open containers for drinking water from which the water must be dipped
or poured, even if fitted with a cover, are prohibited.
(4) A common drinking cup and other common utensils are prohibited.
WAC 296-307-24015
How must the nonpotable water supply be maintained?
(1) You must ensure that nonpotable water is marked as unsafe and is
not used for drinking, washing of the person, cooking, washing food, washing
cooking or eating utensils, washing food preparation or processing premises,
or personal service rooms, or for washing clothes.
(2) Nonpotable water used for cleaning any other work premises must be
free of concentrations of chemicals, fecal coliform, or other substances
that could create unsanitary conditions or be harmful to employees.
(3) Nonpotable water systems or systems carrying any other nonpotable
substance must be constructed to prevent backflow or backsiphonage into
a potable water system.
(1) You must provide toilet facilities, with separate toilet rooms for
each sex, according to the requirements in the table below. You must provide
facilities for each sex based on the number of employees of that sex for
whom facilities are furnished.
(2) Where single-occupancy rooms have more than one toilet facility,
only one facility in each toilet room counts toward these requirements.
In this table, “number of employees” means the maximum number
of employees present at any one time on a regular shift.
Number
of Employees
Minimum
Number of Water Closets
1 to 15
1
16 to 35
2
36 to 55
3
56 to 80
4
81 to 110
5
111 to 150
6
Over 150
One
additional fixture for each additional 40 employees
(3) Where toilet rooms are occupied by one person at a time, can be locked
from the inside, and contain at least one water closet, separate toilet
rooms for each sex need not be provided.
(4) Where toilet facilities will not be used by women, urinals may be
provided instead of water closets, except that the number of water closets
must not be less than 2/3 of the minimum specified.
(5) The sewage disposal method must not endanger the health of employees.
(6) Toilet paper with holder must be provided for every water closet.
(7) Each water closet must occupy a separate compartment with a door
and walls or partitions between fixtures high enough to ensure privacy.
You must provide facilities for maintaining personal cleanliness in
the workplace. The facilities must be convenient for employees and maintained
in a sanitary condition.
(1) Whenever employees are required by a WISHA standard to wear protective
clothing because of the possibility of contamination with toxic materials,
you must provide change rooms with separate storage facilities for street
clothes and for the protective clothing.
(2) If you provide work clothes for employees, they must be dry.
WAC 296-307-24030
What requirements apply to consumption of food and beverages in the workplace?
(1) This section applies to workplaces where employees may consume food,
beverages, or both on the premises.
(2) No employee may consume food or beverages in a toilet room nor in
any area exposed to a toxic material.
(3) If your workplace exposes employees to injurious dusts or other toxic
materials, you must provide a separate lunchroom unless it is convenient
for employees to lunch away from the premises. The size of the lunchroom
must be based on the maximum number of persons using the room at one time,
according to the following table.
Number
of Persons
Square
Feet per Person
25 and less
13
26 - 74
12
75 - 149
11
150 and over
10
(4) You must provide receptacles of smooth, corrosion resistant, easily
cleanable, or disposable materials for the disposal of waste food. You
must provide enough receptacles to encourage their use and to prevent
overfilling. Receptacles must be emptied at least once a working day and
maintained in sanitary condition. Receptacles must have a solid tight-fitting
cover unless sanitary condition can be maintained without a cover.
(5) No food or beverages may be stored in toilet rooms or in an area
exposed to toxic material.
(6) All employee food service facilities and operations must follow sound
hygienic principles. If all or part of the food service is provided, the
food dispensed must be wholesome and free from spoilage. Food must be
processed, prepared, handled, and stored so as to prevent contamination.
(1) You must ensure that any receptacle used for waste or garbage that
may rot is constructed so that it does not leak and can be thoroughly
cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition. A receptacle must have
a solid tight-fitting cover, unless it can be maintained in a sanitary
condition without a cover. Receptacles designed to maintain sanitary condition
may be used in place of this requirement.
(2) All sweepings, solid or liquid wastes, refuse, and garbage must be
removed to avoid creating a health menace, and as often as necessary to
maintain the workplace in a sanitary condition.
WAC 296-307-24036
When must an employer have a vermin control program?
Every building with personal service, food preparation, or eating rooms
must be constructed, equipped, and maintained to restrict infestation
by rodents, insects, and other vermin. You must have a continuing and
effective extermination program where vermin are present.
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